How to Raise Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are best grown as an early spring or fall crop.

Brussels sprouts are easy to grow in the kitchen garden. They have a tasty, nutty flavor and are best when they are young and fresh. Brussels sprouts are in the brassica family, which includes turnips and broccoli, and they look like tiny cabbage heads. Most are green, but some varieties come in red and purple. Nutritionally, Brussels sprouts have lots of potassium, fiber, vitamins A and C.

Things You'll Need

• Brussels sprouts seeds
• Seed trays
• Soilless seed-starting mix
• Shovel
• Compost
• Ground limestone

Instructions

1. Prepare the garden bed for the Brussels sprouts by digging in compost and ground limestone, as the plants grow best with fertile, slightly alkaline soil. Make sure the ground is well settled after digging because light soil cannot support the weight of the vegetables.

2. Sow the Brussels sprout seeds indoors in early spring. Sow the seeds thinly in seed trays in potting soil, about 3/4 inches deep.

3. Transplant the Brussels sprout seedlings four or five weeks after sowing. Consult the seed packet for the plant's eventual size and space them between 18 and 24 inches apart. Don't crowd them, they need light and good air circulation.

4. Water the Brussels sprouts well for the first few weeks and then cut back. Stake the plants if they get unwieldy. In late summer give them some nitrogen rich fertilizer. Cut off dead or yellow leaves.

5. Brussels sprouts take about five months to be ready to harvest. Cut off sprouts on the lowermost branches first. They should be about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. If need be, cut the whole thing down and put the stem into a bucket of water to keep it fresh until the sprouts can be used. Store smaller amounts of sprouts in a paper bag in the refrigerator.

Tips & Warnings

• The youngest leaves at the very top of the plant can be cooked and eaten as greens.

• Shovel a bit of soil up over the base of the plants when they begin to grow large. This provides support and keeps them from tipping over. Brussels sprouts have a shallow root system.

• Frost makes Brussels sprouts taste better.

• Brussels sprouts are susceptible to the same diseases as cabbage. Don't plant them where members of the cabbage family were before.

References

• Iowa State University Extension: How to Change Your Soil pH
• University of Illinois Extension: Brussels Sprouts